A Family Affair: Prince Charles Pays Tribute to His Mother

Indigo/Getty Images(LONDON) — Charles, Prince of Wales, will honor his mother with a televised personal tribute to Her Majesty the Queen of England, celebrating her 60-year reign and kicking off the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

“The Diamond Jubilee gives us a chance to celebrate with pride all that the queen means to us, whether as a nation or as one of her children,” Prince Charles said in a news release announcing the tribute, which will be shown on BBC One Friday evening.

The tribute will include archived newsreels as well as priceless never-before-seen home videos and pictures, as Prince Charles celebrates the Queen’s accomplishments as the nation’s leader and as a mother.

The prince praises the queen, whom he calls “mama,” saying she “has provided an amazing record of devotion, dedication and commitment.”

Much of the film revolves around Prince Charles’ childhood memories, including a trip to the beach.

The prince recalls a childhood memory in which he and sister Princess Anne were buried in the sand at Holkham beach in Norfolk, accompanied by a corgi. As part of the BBC special, Prince Charles will share footage from the beach trip, which was filmed by the queen.

He also shares memories of his mother as she prepared for her coronation in 1953.

“I remember my Mama coming, you know, up, when we were being bathed as children, wearing the crown. It was quite funny — practicing.”

Watching the footage 60 years later, Prince Charles admires his mother’s “amazing poise” and “natural grace,” as she prepares for her coronation while attending to her children.

“My mama takes great pride in her family, from being a young mother at the start of her reign, to now being a great grandmother twice over,” Princes Charles says.

He also celebrates his mother’s reign as queen, and the respect she commanded from leaders around the world. “I think just the sheer number of heads of state who are coming to the Jubilee celebrations shows the respect and affection with which my mama is held all around the world,” he says.

He also expresses admiration for his mother’s steadfastness during her 60-year reign. “The fact that my mama has been a constant feature on the scene has provided that sense, I think, of continuity in a time of immense change over 60 years.”